The Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), which is the umbrella body of all Youth of Northern extraction in Nigeria and abroad, has applauded President Bola Tinubu for approving the appointment of Ms. Hafsat Abubakar Bakari as the Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
The joint northern youth comprise of Northern Youth-Based Organisations, Civil Society Organisations, Pressure Groups and Faith-Based Organisations.
Speaking in a statement on Friday February 23, 2024 at the end of a Joint Northern Youth meeting held in Kaduna, AYF Chairman Board of Trustees, Hon. Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, and National President, Ahmed Mohammed Zagi, said, “We are using this medium to solidly affirm that this appointment is not only worthy, but goes in tandem with the President’s resolve of giving Nigerians a renewed hope across board.
“The group also believes that Hafsat given by her excellent pedigree is right person for the job and a daughter of the soil who has risen through the rank and file of the Agency.”
The statement added, “As we all know, before her appointment, she served as Deputy Director at the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, and was at different times the Head of the General Services Unit; Head of the Strategy and Reorientation Unit, and Head of the Board Secretariat of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)”.
The group explained that professionally wise, Hafsat is a lawyer and financial intelligence expert with years of experience in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF).
“There is no better time to have such an apt appointment as now.
“We sincerely thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and have no doubt that the newly appointed CEO, will bring her wealth of experience and expertise to full discharge in this critical role, especially in view of this administration’s war against illicit financial flow and other sharp practices currently prevalent in segments of the nation’s foreign exchange markets and other dealings as perpetrated by government officials,” the group added.
